2024 Christmas Letter

 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given;And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9.6)

 

Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

(Isaiah 53.4-5)

 

27 December 2024

 

A very Merry Christmas to you and yours! 

 

The last couple of days have been foggy, damp, restful, and a time for reflecting on all that has happened in 2024 and of the beloved people who are a part of our lives.

 

Here’s a brief update on some things that happened this year, via events in our lives.

 

Kyrie –in May she turned 16 and she has been buzzing around ever since! For her sophomore year she went to Strafford High School. As that year came to a close, she decided to return to St. John’s Academy of Fine and Performing Arts (the name of our homeschool) to have the flexibility to work on academics but also focus on dancing and gain a little more rest while performing in shows at Springfield Little Theater. In the fall of 2024 she was in Wizard of Oz.  

 

Aravis – in February our ‘oldest daughter’ moved to New York City. She joined her friend, Millie, in renting a very small studio apartment on the upper west side of Manhattan – just a block west of Central Park. She worked at Blank Street Coffee and Dance Workshop NYC, while also logging many auditions. She has begun to experience a new era in her professional pursuits. In November she came home for a show in Ozark, MO. She will return to NYC in January and keep working the dream. She’s made some friends in the city and has found a great church, Church of the City. Thanks to many visitors to NYC, she never talked much of being homesick. 

 

Asa – his year began with an exit from the Peace Corps. In February he migrated to Columbus, OH and worked a number of theater jobs. In April he was in Anne Frank. It was a moving portrayal of a family’s work to survive and thrive in the worst of circumstances. In August, Anna and I saw him in An Iliad. He was a part of a superb cast that made an ancient story current and gut wrenching. It was highly reviewed in the Columbus Underground. As summer chirped along Asa began exploring what to do next. In early December he flew to Spain and is teaching English as a second language. For Christmas, he went to see friends in London.

 

Moses & Emily – In May Moses became the fifth Leininger to graduate from Asbury Theological Seminary. In May of 2025, Emily will make the sixth! Moses and Emily continue to thrive in the Bluegrass state. Emily has several leadership roles on the campus of Asbury U and Moses gets drawn in occasionally. Moses has taken on a full-time role leading modern worship with Centenary Church in Lexington. In the fall he added to his work teaching a worship class at Asbury U. We were happy to visit them on their home turf a couple of times in 2024.

 

Jason – I continued pastoring at Schweitzer Church; I started my 13^th year in July. A few highlights include wrapping up the 4^th season of the Really Cool People podcast with a live show/recording, preaching at the ordination of Cory Luczywo, co-presenting a seminar at the Christian Community Development Association conference, and leading as the Board President, Flourish Community Development Corp (flourishcdc.org). Flourish is starting its 5^th year and the gains it has made in its impact of life transformation, and as an organization is encouraging. At home I put in a new floor in our kitchen, harvested hay, flopped in the garden, and enjoyed many visitors. In January, I am anticipating a trip to Uganda for an exploratory pilgrimage. 

 

Anna - when Kyrie started public school, Anna began to substitute teach. Little did she know that the end of 2024 would see her going to school every day to guide a kindergarten classroom. She will complete her long-term sub ‘tour of duty’ in January. In 2024 she continued to provide a centering point to our packed schedules. She made sure we visited Aravis in NYC, Moses & Emily in Wilmore, and Asa in Columbus. She crafted Kyrie’s Junior year academic plan and keeps all things organized.   

 

One of the great parts of 2024 was celebrating other people. In July our niece, Katie was married. The timing worked for all of us to be at her wedding – here’s a picture from that day. 

 

(L to R: Moses, Emily, Aravis, Jason, Anna, Kyrie, Asa)

 

The other event that called for a family celebration was the homegoing of my grandmother Leininger. Doris Jean was 93 years old when she took her last breath on this earth. She was a superb person and fantastic grandmother. I was honored to be part of a trinity of grandsons who were charged with leading her memorial service. She contributed wonderfully to the world and leaves behind a rich legacy that is impossible to summarize.

 

In all things I hope and pray you are celebrating the appearance of Jesus. I have been drawn to the first line of Isa 53.4 – ‘He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows’. Take heart, be courageous, and be of good Cheer – because of Him! 

Much Love . . . Jason, for the rest of the Leininger’s

2023 - A Year in Review

 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We hope this note finds you well, celebrating what God has done, and anticipating another year of God’s faithfulness, goodness, and kindness.

 

The past year for the Leininger’s has been unique. We’ve had completions, celebrations, pauses, continuations, and re-directions. 

 

In the spring, Asa and Aravis completed educational quests they were on. Aravis completed her homeschool experience and we were blessed by many who gathered to celebrate her accomplishments at Common Grounds Coffee House in Strafford. In August, Aravis began working at the same coffee house. Then she added three other jobs in the fall. She anticipates moving to NYC in the spring of 2024 to pursue a career in acting/theater.

 

Asa graduated from Missouri State University with a double major in History and Theater. In the summer he worked at a camp in Southern California, traveled from coast to coast, and then made his way to the Dominican Republic to work with the Peace Corps. While in the DR, Asa gained some clarity about his professional interests. He will begin 2024 back in the USA, pursuing a professional path in theater.

 

In the spring Moses and Emily were apart of the revival/outpouring/Jesus movement at Asbury University. They live and work at Asbury U and study at Asbury Seminary. After returning from a European trip in June, Moses accepted another challenge of being a modern worship leader at Centenary Church in Lexington, KY. They are enjoying their life together.

 

With siblings transitioning, Kyrie took her own re-direction. She began her sophomore year of HS at Strafford HS. She is our last kid, and our only kid to experience preparatory school outside of the home-schooling environment. She is doing well in school and ignoring her dad’s pleas to get a C in at least one class. 

 

Anna and I celebrated our 30th anniversary last May. With all the events happening for the kids, we had about half a second to celebrate. We sense a need to be present to the kids while they are here. Their wings are spreading and our time with them feels short. 

 

In the fall, Anna faced a question: what were her days going to look like with homeschooling not on the docket? While there are not clear answers for her next adventure, for the moment she has been glad to take up substitute teaching. She has a number of new stories and she can tell you her favorite grade/age level to teach 4(th).

 

A year ago I was offered an opportunity to take a sabbatical over the summer. The spring brought planning. The summer brought the experience. It was a tremendous gift from the fine folks at Schweitzer Church. In the midst of that season, I gardened, read some books, biked and began running again, and we traveled some. Anna, the girls, and I went to NYC in early July. We also had some time in Chicago, MI, and then I went to Wichita, KS for a quiet retreat. 

 

The sabbatical provided clarity to my sense of being and calling. It was restful, in a way. I reconnected with the value of an afternoon nap; I took one every afternoon that I was at home. 

 

In some circles there has been a lot of talk about ‘burnout.’ In fact, most professions are seeing people who have been long ‘obedient in the same direction,’ opting for the exit door. On the one hand, an unavoidable truth is that we all make our entrances and exits. On the other hand, much of burnout, early exits, and a retreat of wisdom to the sideline far too soon is because we’ve lost the gift of the sabbath and sabbatical. 

 

Resting, reconnecting, and celebrating have been means of grace that helped transition our pauses, continuations, and re-directions. 

 

In all that is ahead, we pray you’ll look back and behold the faithful kindness and mercy of God, and in faith, you’ll take each day with curious delight, resting, laboring, and rejoicing in God. 

 

God’s best to you, 

 

Jason

PS – Kyrie said I was supposed to sign off as Rev. Dr. Jason

PSS – We love hearing from you! If you’re ever in the Springfield, MO area, contact us and we’ll connect!

Christmas Day 2022

A note from the Leininger’s - Composed by Aravis & Jason

Merry Christmas! 

We are celebrating in our home just east of Springfield, MO. 

The outside looks like a winter wonder land. One of the kids said, this is the first Christmas where we have had snow on the ground. We are glad for the snow, but we could do without the bitter cold. These conditions do make us wonder about the challenges that Holy Family endured, not only in Bethlehem, but throughout the early years, when little kings tried to take out the real King. We are thankful the true light came into the world, to bring help, healing, and hope.

The year of 2022 has flown by. 

In January we said farewell to Asa as he began a trek to England for a semester abroad. He returned in early June. Along the way he visited Greece and Italy. He is hopeful for a return trip. 

In February we made a quick trip to Kentucky to see Moses & Emily, and many other dear friends. Before arriving in Wilmore we stopped in Louisville for the National Farm Machinery Show. It was a quick stop, but it was like a shot of adrenaline for this farm kids heart. Anna, Aravis, & Kyrie were kind in allowing this revelry. 

Moses & Emily are generally doing great and having more fun than two newlyweds should be allowed to have. They have fantastic community around them. They are working, studying, and serving in a church plant in Lexington. We are thrilled for them, and just a smidge jealous of friends, Diane & Kathi Leigh Munoz, who get to see them more than we do. But we couldn’t be more grateful for the community of Christ that creates strong bonds. 

In the springtime Aravis & Kyrie were active in show preparation and presentation at Springfield Little Theater. They were in the shows Percy Jackson the Musical, and SpongeBob. 

In the summer we set out for Michigan enjoying time with family, the beach, and a memorable visit with my grandmother. Grandma Leininger has dementia and is in the very good care of my Aunt Paula. Grandma is 91, is rather agile, and has become quite the trickster in her state. She gave us some good laughs, even as we know Aunt Paula has her hands full in giving her excellent care. 

In the summer Aravis also had the joy of traveling with Springfield Little Theater to New York. She saw several shows, took some tours, and participated in a couple of workshops. A fun time was had by all. 

In the fall, Asa began his senior year at Missouri State, double majoring in History and Theater. Aravis began her senior year of High School. Kyrie turned 14 and is a Freshman. Anna continues to homeschool the girls and is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Kyrie was in School of Rock the musical at Springfield Little Theater. As that show wrapped up Aravis started work at Silver Dollar City (SDC), playing the part of the sister to Tiny Tim in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. This is her third year playing that role. This year, she was included as an adult in one of the dance numbers. She has decided pursuing work in the entertainment world is her next step. What that looks like has yet to be fully determined. 

Anna has played a major role in Aravis’ work at SDC, driving to Branson most of the 5 day-a-week schedule. Rather routinely she makes some kind of treat to share with the cast of fine actors from around the country. In November she had a big birthday - turning 50! We were able to celebrate on a night when all the kids were here. 

In the fall I planted wheat on 5 of our 10 acres. I am having fun experimenting with growing grasses and grains on this plot of land. I also began to put the finishing touches on a book that I hope will be available in early 2023. Its working title is On Becoming a Leader: A Journey with Joseph. It will be available through Amazon. 

Writing a year in review is incredibly difficult. There are so many details, so many funny stories that are left out, so many wonderful visits of friends and family that we haven’t even described, some real disappointments and some exhilarating memories that had to be skipped over. We are grateful for all of these, and more, because they are all marks of God’s grace, that is at work shaping us, and leading us into a good and beautiful life. We are so glad to call you friend and send you these greetings! 

We close with a picture captured at Schweitzer Church’s Christmas Eve service, and the opening lines from O Holy Night!

O Holy Night!

The stars are brightly shining

It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!

Long lay the world in sin and error pining

Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

 

Christmas Letter 2021

 The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2.10-11)

Happy Christmas! 

 

When Moses went off to college in 2017 we thought that was going to be the end of our days with all four kids under one roof. We were wrong! The pandemic altered all of our expectations and rhythms, and opened up some incredible opportunities. The year 2021 began with all of us under one roof. Occasionally we’d have an extra guest join us, most often it was Miss Emily Kane, now Leininger. 

 

From the first of the year through Spring there was a big focus on the wedding of Moses and Emily that took place at the end of May. In that time Moses had an internship at Schweitzer Church and finished his undergrad at Greenville University. Asa continued in his studies at Missouri State, majoring in Theater and History. Aravis and Kyrie had fun on the Landers Theater stage; Aravis played the role of Birgitta in “The Sound of Music,” and Kyrie was Charlie in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” 

 

In February those of us not in college, took an early Spring break to to visit Grandpa & Grandma Harris in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Our trip was interrupted when the alternator quite working on our Honda. We were stranded in the confines of Quitman, Mississippi. Thankfully, we found some amazing angels who helped us with some lodging, and to get back on the road. When we made it to the beach, the girls were thrilled to jump in; it felt a lot like Lake Michigan in the summer. We were all happy to spend some time with Grandpa & Grandma Harris and take in some warmer weather.

 

In May Moses graduated, and was married to Emily. Moses and Emily have a unique story of meeting, working together, and finally coming to the realization that they were the ones for one another. All in all, we are full of joy for how the Lord led them together. Their wedding was held in beautiful central Illinois at the Allerton Park & Retreat Center. Allerton is an incredible gem among the bountiful fields of the breadbasket. It was a good thing the setting was beautiful, because the day was rainy and cold. The pictures turned out great! Somewhere near the end of the day Jason discovered that not only did we gain a daughter-in-law, but we were also becoming adoptive cat parents.  

 

The summer saw Asa spending June & July at Grandpa & Grandma Harris’ house. Moses and Emily went on a 6 week honeymoon, traveling Route 66 and the western states. They have a lot of funny stories; ask them about taking a shower at Wal-mart. Aravis, Kyrie, Anna & Jason took a trip to Nashville for some of Jason’s work at Schweitzer. While Jason attended a worship leaders conference, in search of a worship leader, the girls played in music city. 

 

At the end of July we traveled to Fremont, MI so Anna could attend her 30th High School reunion. Anna got to connect with some friends that she hadn’t seen in 30 years; it was good for her soul. While we were there we also got to connect with her sister, Sara and family. One night while we were together we had the maiden party in Grandpa Harris’ party barn. Anna, Sara, and Grandma Harris can sing karaoke with the best of them!

 

In August, Moses and Emily moved to their new home in Wilmore, KY. Moses is a full time student at Asbury Seminary. He is working part-time as a worship leader at a church plant. Emily is working full time for Asbury University as a Resident Director. She is attending Asbury Seminary as a part-time student. We wish we were closer to them; however we rejoice that they are finding their way, and in a place where we have friends that are like family.

 

At the end of September we traveled to Michigan for nephew Sam Wortz’s wedding. Sam’s wedding was held outside, and on a rainy day. It was a beautiful wedding. Additionally on this trip we got to go to the county fair and see many family and friends from the Waldron area. 

 

In mid-October Aravis & Kyrie, with Anna serving as their chauffeur, started working at Silver Dollar City, a theme park in Branson, Mo. They are working in SDC’s version of Charles Dickens’ Christmas Story. Kyrie is playing Tiny Tim, and Aravis is Martha, the sister to Tim. They will be in half of the 140 shows that take place in November and December. Their work is keeping us home and visitors are joining us. Our house feels like a bed & breakfast at times. We are glad for visitors. 

 

We are looking forward to a Christmas Eve service held back inside at Schweitzer Church. Asa has plans to take a semester abroad, in England, in the Spring of 2022.        

 

Through the events of this past year we are glad that the tidings of great joy, first spoken by the angels, has been reverberating across the generations and has included us. God’s kingdom work has touched our lives in many deep ways and we look for the ripples to come. 

 

A Savior has been born for you! 

Blessings to You and Yours!         

        

The Leininger’s

 

A pic of the seven of us at the MLK event in Springfield, MO in 2021

At the beach in Alabama in February of 2021

The Garden for 2021 was plentiful and green. We used rye as a winter cover crop. When worked into the soil it created phenomenal tilth in the soil and it maintained good moisture through the dry spells of summer.

Aravis turned 16 in July

The girls as Tiny Tim, and Tim's sister, Martha. It's been a great privilege to be a part of such a great show and company. 

Little Baby Jesus, holds all creation together

 Kind Father, 

  On This joyous day we are gathered to celebrate the wonder of Jesus,

little baby Jesus, being the Christ.

  A line from scripture says that

"He existed before everything and He holds all creation together."

   This baby, held by his mother, Mary, holds all creation together

This makes our minds and hearts wonder - like Mary's - how can this be?

   And like her, we have a speck of faith

So to the baby, held by his mother, who holds all creation together, hold us together

- As we gather with family, friends, and neighbors in this season

remind us of your goodness that has met us

and that goes before us

- As we take in the news, or tell stories of our lives,

where we say, "things are not as they should be"

remind us that you hold all things together

- As we see people from all over the globe mark and celebrate your birth

give us eyes to see your love for all nations, languages, and cultures

and how you are drawing all people to yourself

Help us gaze deeply - with the eyes of Mary - filled with wonder

How little baby Jesus holds all creation together

And help us to say with her

Yes! 

Yes! to your Good and Beautiful work!

Amen.

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - A favorite Christmas song

I suspect we all have some favorite songs we return to at Christmas. One of my favorites is Charles Wesley’s "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," written in 1739.
As a boy I had sung Wesley’s hymn with my church when we went caroling and in worship. I memorized the words. As a young adult I began to pay more attention to the meaning. The meaning began to look like a tree decorated for Christmas with an unending array of splendor and delight.
Wesley’s lyrics are full of biblical imagery that span the full landscape of scripture. In the opening lines, "Hark, the Herald Angels sing, ‘Glory to the New born King’..." we are in the fields with the shepherds around Bethlehem listening to the angels announce the birth of the Messiah.
In the next phrase of "God and sinners reconciled" the song summarizes the promises of God to Abraham, and the visions of the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and then onto the pages of John’s Revelation where the picture is of God making his home among his people, wiping the tears from their eyes, and making all things new (Rev 21). In short fashion the lyrics touch on the major promise and work of God from Genesis to Revelation.
Each stanza of Hark! Is full of stories, metaphors, and truths of who Jesus is - the incarnate God who is pleased to live among us. It’s also full of the stories of our lives when we’re open to receiving the gift of grace: that we can be reconciled to God and to one another, that we can be friends with God, that we can have life and light. Ultimately in Jesus’ resurrection there is healing in his wings for the hurts and disappointments of life, and over the last enemy - death.
Wesley’s Hark! Arrested my attention because I had been immersing myself in the pages of scripture and I found the song connected the dots. I was taken up in its wonder because I saw the words being lived out in the lives of people I knew. People who had been living in darkness were encountering new light and life. God’s gift of Himself was transforming them. Friends I knew who were distant from God and others, were finding reconciliation; peace was really happening. And, maybe most importantly, the healing power of Christ’s resurrection was at work healing deep sorrows, of my own, and of our community.
Through the darkness of night, Hark! took the song of the angels at Bethlehem and put the gospel into my world. Today, I sing it with exceeding joy - in what God has done, and in great hope and anticipation. The world we live in still needs His Light and Life. My world still knows plenty of unrest, yet I continue to see God making peace on earth, with mercy mild. "Glory to the Newborn King."

Preparing the Way of Hope

A couple of years ago Anna had a promoting that our family should take part in the twelve days of Christmas. Instead of doing the twelve days following Christmas, as is traditionally done, she thought we ought to do it before, and do it in such a way as to be a blessing to others around us. 

Anna took the song and reworked the lyrics into brief poems. She also assembled small gifts that represented the theme. Then the kids and I struck out to play the part of a Secret Santa, dropping off notes and packages in hopes of being undetected. 

There was great excitement with each day, the poem creation, the gift acquisition, the drop off. We were experiencing the delightful expectancy of Christmas at a whole new level. 

We felt like we were participating in the Christmas story, of God’s incarnation and blessing of all the world, in a similar fashion as John the Baptist and his parents. 

In Luke’s Gospel, John’s birth story precedes Jesus’. John would be a forerunner -someone who helped prepare the way for Jesus. But there was more to John than the the role of a wildly dressed preacher with a crazy diet in the wilderness. He was an answer to a prayer by his longing parents. He was a source of delight for a couple who had quit praying for a child. When hope was gone, God’s grace entered in, and John appeared.

John had a big role to fill. He turned the hearts of fathers to their children and vice-versa. Maybe John's theatrical preaching would prompt fathers to tell bed time stories to their kids about the preacher they saw on their way home. Or maybe it was something else, like his own father doubting, being unable to speak and then finding joy. Whatever it was, John's birth was a means of preparing people, the members of his family, for an incredible expressions of God’s nearness and blessing.

As you and your family live into your gathered traditions of Christ’s birth, how might you prepare the way for Christ’s birth in a new and unexpected way? How could you be a part of preparing the way of joy for others in our community? How could you be a forerunner of all that God would like to do in the life of someone who  could use some hope? 

Sad Songs of Christmas

Listening to NPR's morning edition on December 19th, they shared the following story, Have Yourself a Sullen Little Christmas. 
A good reminder that many experience Christmas with a significant amount of melancholy.

A Christmas Greeting

Preparing For Christmas

December has arrived and that brings the need to prepare for Christmas. 
Our preparations are different this year because of our housing accommodations and plans we have to be with family over Christmas and New Years day. 
We have three decorative items that remind us Christmas is coming, an Advent Calendar, a Creche, and a globe with the Holy Family in it.
Today the city of Wilmore will be abuzz with an event called Christmas in Wilmore. Tonight businesses will host musical troupes singing and playing a variety of music.  Main street will be blocked off as people saunter through the village greeting one another with cheer and good will. 
This afternoon Aravis, along with a lot of other performers, will be in a Ballet production of the Christmas story. She will be playing the part of a lamb. She is so excited. She is excited to dance, and excited that she has been invited to wear some make-up. 
The part I appreciate about preparing for Christmas is reading Advent devotionals.  There is a fresh awareness of God's present speaking and incarnation as I listen to others reflect on scripture in ways that challenge my heart to prepare anew to receive God in the flesh. 

For My Boys: You Gotta Get Up! It's Christmas Morning...

Anna's Christmas Letter 2010

Merry Christmas to all of our dear friends and family.  We are celebrating our fourth Christmas in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan with much to be thankful for, not the least of which are our beautiful children.  Moses (11) continues to grow in his love for the Lord and worship through singing and playing guitar.  He is an avid reader of books in the fantasy genre and also loves history.  Both boys play soccer and baseball and are very involved with our homeschool group’s co-op.  The highlight for all of us at co-op this year was our drama which I helped to direct and they both played a part in.  Asa (9) is constantly amusing us with his antics and funny faces.  He has decided that reading is ok but tearing things apart and science experiments are better.  He also seems to have a knack for drawing.  Aravis (5) is hanging in there as best as she can with two older brothers.  A social butterfly, co-op days and church are her favorite times of the week.  She would love to have play dates every day of the year.  She has started Kindergarten and is learning how to read.  Kyrie (2) is a delightfully dramatic personality and adds a lot of sparkle to the already lively atmosphere around here.  She is a big talker and copies everything her sister says and does.



 
As an added blessing, we spontaneously adopted a foreign exchange student this year.  Serge (17) is from Hamburg, Germany and is spending the school year with us.  We are enjoying having him with us and learning from him as he also learns about American culture a la Leiningers and Mt. Pleasant, Mi.  It’s amazing to think about the wide variety of people and culture within our own country not to mention the wide, wide world.  Serge is attending Mt. Pleasant High School and enjoyed playing football this fall.  His time on the wrestling team this winter was short lived as a dislocated elbow at practice put a halt to it.  Bummer.  I am constantly amazed at his ability to speak three languages fluently.  The first half of his life was spent in Kazakhstan so Russian is his native language and after being here for 4 months English is second nature to him.  
 
Another addition to the family is Jason’s tractor-Allie.  This year he restored an Allis Chalmers D-19 tractor that belonged to him as a teenager and has attached to it many good memories.  It turned out beautifully and you can read more about it on his blog at http://revduke.blogspot.com.

On a more sorrowful note, this fall we said farewell to our good friends the Schantz’s who moved to Grand Rapids, and our dog, Delta who was unfortunately hit and killed.  Additionally, the church has experienced turbulent times this year as a discussion ensued this spring about whether or not we are “emergent”.  This resulted in many leaving our fellowship.  It was difficult for everyone, but thankfully God has worked in our midst and we are beginning to experience a healthy unity and purpose.   One of the exciting things that is happening within the life of the church is the upcoming missions trip to our Free Methodist church in Nogales, Mexico.   You can read more about that on Facebook (Central Michigan Free Methodist Church to Nogales Mexico).  With the difficulty and loss I mentioned above, it was suggested that I write a country song about my experience!  I haven’t done so but it strikes me that life is a journey full of both happy and sad all at once and it is good to remember God with us-Emmanuel.

His peace,
Anna 

Caroling and the Trinity

Here's part of a letter that I shared with the church I pastor reflecting on our recent Caroling activity.  
___
From Luke 2 (NLT)

²¹ Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.

 ²² Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. ²³ The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.”^{[a] 24} So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”^[b]

³⁶ Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. ³⁷ Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four.^[c] She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. ³⁸ She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem. . . . And his mother stored all these things in her heart.

Greetings Church,

I’ve been thinking about this scene from Luke’s gospel after the events from Sunday.  In the morning we heard about the angels and how they worshipped and ministered to Jesus, and then announced His presence among the people of the world.  We picked up their songs of joy in worship and many from our midst offered gifts of song, music and art to the Lord.  Since then many have given voice to the presence of the Holy Spirit in a palatable way.

In the evening about 18 of us went caroling, we went to take the song of the angels to people in our community.  Those we went to were like Anna, widows who were well along in years.  As we sang, those we sang to joined in singing, their faces were bright and in at least one instant, tears came forth.  The tears reflected joy in being remembered, joy in having visitors, joy in Emmanuel – God with us. 

As the night unfolded we singers were beginning to catch a glimpse of the significance of our task.  We were doing something more than fulfilling an age old tradition, like Joseph and Mary when they kept the law by going to the temple on the 8^th day.  We were bearing witness to the Love of God for the world and for people in particular, people who are often overlooked and bypassed. 

As we took joy we received it in return.  Our hearts burned like Mary’s, as we considered how a little singing and a little visit could be appreciated so much.  Our hearts pondered the mystery of grace; of giving, of receiving, of the power of singing Christmas carols.  The teaching of the church about the trinity would tell us that we were taking part of the great dance of holy love that exists between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, where each gives freely and receives with much rejoicing.  It’s hard for many of us to comprehend the Holy Trinity in our minds, or explain it with words, but experiencing it we can say there it is.  As we sang, we knew we were giving; as our listeners clapped and sang and cried, we were receiving, and in our hearts we have much to ponder and rejoice over.  We were singing in houses and apartments – but with the Love and Joy of the Lord – these places had the air of being some of the world’s greatest cathedrals.   

As you celebrate the birth of Jesus with your family, friends and neighbors, be encouraged to reach out to someone close to you who may feel bypassed and share the joy of the Christ child.  May your gift bring joy and love.  May your homes and gathering places become some of the greatest cathedrals of the world.  And above all, may you find that in giving and receiving Emmanuel – God with us – is with you, and your very life is taken into the Holy mystery of the Holy Trinity.  This is the reason for the season, God with us, and us with God.   

Asa & St. Nicholas

Asa and his icon of St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra

This past Sunday the worship service had the theme of "Bringing Your Best to Jesus."  We tend to reserve the role of gift giving to the Christ child to the Magi, who come bearing gifts.  But all of those who are involved in the story bring a gift to Christ in some form.  The prophets and John the Baptist bring the gift of preparation and anticipation.  Mary brings her entire being and becomes the God-bearer, so that we all might become God-bearers.  Joseph brings a heart and mind that listens to the active voice of God and springs into action when God speaks.  The angels bring songs, first sung to Jesus and then to the world. 

We encouraged the children to participate in some way.  Some of the kids brought a song, some brought some drawings, or paintings.  I don't know what prompted Asa to begin work on this icon of St. Nicholas, but this is what he brought.   

We thank the Lord for his manifold graces which bless us beyond our comprehension.   

Did Joseph "Know" Mary?

This week I'm preaching about Joseph in the story of the Jesus' birth.  The characters around Jesus give us plenty to think on and emulate in our own response to Jesus, as we encounter Him as Emmanuel, God with us.

In verse 25 of chapter 1 Matthew says about Joseph that he "had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son."  (NRSV)

Most of the translations say it something like this, that is they indicate that Joseph and Mary did not have the normal arrangement of marriage while Jesus was in the womb.  Christians across time and space and family (denominational/sect) concur on this.  What is less agreeable, since the Reformation, is what took place following the birth of Jesus.

Consulting Thomas Oden's wonderful work - Commentary on Matthew, vol. 1,  in the series, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, it is clear that the early church believed that there was never a "knowing" between Mary and Joseph.  It doesn't matter from what place or time, the early church believed Joseph viewed Mary's womb sacred ground, once inhabited by the Holy Spirit and Son of God and as such, a road he wouldn't go down.  They understood Jesus' brothers and sister, spoken of later when they come to see him and he's out of his mind, as Joseph's kids from a previous marriage, or his cousins.

Generally I was under the assumption that Protestants were uniformally headed in the opposite direction.  That after the birth of Jesus, they in fact had a "knowing" of one another and this produced the siblings of Jesus.

I am surprised to report that John Wesley does not track with the protestant persuasion.  In his Notes on the New Testament he writes:  He knew her not, till after she had brought forth - It cannot be inferred from hence, that he knew her afterward: no more than it can be inferred from that expression, 2Sam 6:23, Michal had no child till the day of her death, that she had children afterward. Nor do the words that follow, the first - born son, alter the case. For there are abundance of places, wherein the term first born is used, though there were no subsequent children. Luke 2:7

I'm intrigued by this differing perspective regarding the nature of Joseph and Mary's relationship.  What does it say about our view of marriage, of intimacy, of sexuality, of being devoted to God and to one another?  Maybe the discussion says more about us, than it does about them or even God.

I'm quite convinced that Joseph wouldn't fit in well in the current western world, Christian or not, but he does fit in well in the Kingdom of God.